1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, a device and a vehicle testing device for identifying vehicles, in particular prior to the performance of vehicle diagnoses using vehicle testing devices in vehicle repair shops or vehicle testing stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many functions of today's motor vehicles are performed by electronic control units connected to the electronic system of the vehicle. In order to diagnose errors in the vehicle electronics correctly, diagnostic testers or diagnostic devices are used, which are equipped with appropriate diagnostic procedures. Ensuring a functionally proper communication of the diagnostic systems with the vehicle's own systems is based on precise knowledge of the components of the vehicle to be diagnosed as well as their functions and properties. Particularly when there is a multitude of vehicle types, vehicle manufacturers, vehicle components and variants in the equipment of a vehicle, high demands are placed on methods for identifying vehicles. Moreover, depending on the diagnosis to be performed, different degrees of vehicle identification become necessary since there are substantial differences in the definition of the diagnosis prerequisites and diagnosis options depending on the type of diagnosis and the technical equipment of the vehicle to be diagnosed.
Today's diagnostic devices have input systems by which a user is able to identify a vehicle to be diagnosed in an unequivocal manner. For instance, characteristics of vehicles and their technical equipment may be retrieved from a database via identification codes or identification numbers. Entering such codes via an input interface of the diagnostic device makes it possible possible for the diagnostic device to identify the vehicle to be diagnosed via a database query for example. Codes normally used are for example the so-called KBA numbers, under which vehicles are registered according to type, manufacturer, motorization and similar characteristics in the Kraftfahrzeug-Bundesamt (KBA) [German Federal Motor Vehicle Registration Agency], or the vehicle identification number (VIN or FIN, “Fahrzeug-Identifikationsnummer”), which identify every motor vehicle biuniquely for example according to the ISO 3779 standard.
Published European patent application document EP 1 603 054 A1 discloses a system for determining characteristic technical features of a motor vehicle via a database, in which the technical characteristics of individual motor vehicles and groups of motor vehicles are stored encoded according to identification codes.
There exists a need for solutions for the appropriate and efficient identification of vehicles, which are adapted to the type, scope and function of the vehicle diagnoses to be performed.